Create an ideabook for your next remodeling project!
Browse more than 1,000,000 photos from top designers and save your favorites
Houzz Tours
Top Ideabooks
Eclectic Homes
Top Ideabooks
- Wondrous Steampunk Style for a Massachusetts Victorian
- DIY Efforts Transform a South Philly Row House
- From Baseball Factory to Homey Loft in Toronto
- From Raw Space to Hip Home in a Converted Utah Garage
- Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen's Guesthouse Brims With Charm
- Travel Treasures Personalize a Denver Comedian's Home
Houzz Tour: Storied Family Farmhouse in Ohio
A shelter and DIY blogger with a passion for interior decorating breathes new life into her husband's ancestral home
Erin Souder's farmhouse was built by her husband's great-great-grandfather in 1873, so when the couple moved in five years ago, she knew that they were in for a few tricky renovations and decorative updates. "It's a joy and a challenge to live in an old home. I knew that we wanted to both uncover some of the home's original beauty and add a modern, elegant touch," says Souder.
The rooms in their house are mostly closed off from one another, often linked by doors and archways as opposed to having a seamless connection. "I'm constantly yelling from one part of the house to my husband, who is usually in the living room when I see something notable out back — usually a coyote, deer or fox," says Souder. She and her husband had to get used to wildlife — a state park surrounds three sides of their property.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Erin and Matt Souder and their schnauzer, Perry
Location: Columbus, Ohio
Size: 1,920 square feet; three bedrooms; one bath
That's interesting: The ancestral house was built by Souder's husband's great-great-grandfather, Hahn Souder.
The rooms in their house are mostly closed off from one another, often linked by doors and archways as opposed to having a seamless connection. "I'm constantly yelling from one part of the house to my husband, who is usually in the living room when I see something notable out back — usually a coyote, deer or fox," says Souder. She and her husband had to get used to wildlife — a state park surrounds three sides of their property.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Erin and Matt Souder and their schnauzer, Perry
Location: Columbus, Ohio
Size: 1,920 square feet; three bedrooms; one bath
That's interesting: The ancestral house was built by Souder's husband's great-great-grandfather, Hahn Souder.
| Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
|
| "We pulled up layers of carpet and linoleum from the entry, stairways and kitchen, uncovering original pine floors that we later stained a dark walnut," says Souder. |
| Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
|
| Art and photos fill a gallery corner where a leather armchair offers the perfect spot for a night of reading. |
| Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
|
| Souder bough the black area rug from an open market on a recent trip to New Delhi, India. She combined a living room end table and a thrifted marble top to come up with an entirely new entryway table. |
| Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
|
| The living room's focal point is the TV, which makes Souder cringe. "Anywhere we thought of placing the TV resulted in a really odd couch placement and vice versa. In the end, the spot above the mantel works best for us," she says. |
| Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
|
| Souder writes her House of Earnest DIY blog from her home office, an all-white space inspired by Swedish interiors. The office is filled with art, flowers, branches and mementos. |
| Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
|
| BEFORE: Souder added molding, painted the uneven walls flat Bistro White by Valspar, rearranged and repainted the furniture, and added soft, billowy curtains. |
| Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
|
| Souder's house is filled with large windows, flooding the interiors with light and framing views of front and back yards. "The natural light is a good thing because some areas of the house don't have overhead lighting or electrical outlets," says Souder. |
| Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
|
| The kitchen is period appropriate for the 139-year-old farmhouse. "We changed a few things in the kitchen but kept the bells and whistles to a minimum. It's simple and sticks to a black and white color scheme, but the green tea walls and the walnut floors give it just enough warmth," she says. |
Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
BEFORE: In the kitchen's previous life, the cabinetry was stained a light oak and the floors were peel-and-stick linoleum tiles.
| Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
|
| Souder repainted the cabinets Cottage Black by Behr and updated the appliances and hardware to reflect a more modern, sleek aesthetic. |
Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
The apron-front kitchen sink weighed so much that Souder's husband had to build an additional structure under the sink to help support it. "It was a lot of trouble, but the sink is definitely my favorite thing in the kitchen. I always joke that if we move, I'll have to take the sink with me," says Souder.
| Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
|
| Windows surround the dining room table and connect the house to its lush surroundings. The Souders live on land with no immediate neighbors — so they don't feel so bad when they need to shout to each other from different parts of the house. |
| Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
|
| |
Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
The floor-to-ceiling shelving in the master bedroom was designed by Souder and built by her husband. "I love the dimension and layered look that it gives to an otherwise plain and neutral room," says Souder.
Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
Souder admits that the old home's sole bathroom is a challenging space to work with, but she didn't let the small size stop her from adding beauty.
A wedding basket in a natural weave replaced a masculine toilet paper butler from her husband's bachelor days. A wooden shelf provides just enough room for a candle, soap and some leaves.
A wedding basket in a natural weave replaced a masculine toilet paper butler from her husband's bachelor days. A wooden shelf provides just enough room for a candle, soap and some leaves.
Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
This built-in wall safe in the downstairs bar area is filled with unique details and wears its age on its surface. The door of the safe is 8 inches thick and is handpainted inside.
"This home has been through family after family living within its walls, and the multiple design personalities really show, which can be a good and bad thing. But in the end I love that it's a seasoned home," says Souder.
More:
Sweetly Charming Ohio Family Cottage
Vintage Industrial Farmhouse in Ohio
"This home has been through family after family living within its walls, and the multiple design personalities really show, which can be a good and bad thing. But in the end I love that it's a seasoned home," says Souder.
More:
Sweetly Charming Ohio Family Cottage
Vintage Industrial Farmhouse in Ohio
Ideabook published on Aug. 4, 2012.
What are you working on?
News From Our Partners
Latest Ideabooks
People found the photos in this ideabook after searching for:
View over a million photos:
Anyway... I'm a lurker, hardly ever post, but I'm in the mist or restoring a 1937 house. I still don't have many things on my windows, so when "Jerk" made the comment.. I had to go back and look. The windows look perfect, simple, shows the trim work around your windows, just as it should in this period home. Nice update without spending a fortune.
As for Carlos, I found his facebook page https://www.facebook.com/carlosoliveira2012 His draperies are very nice, and they look beautiful in his applications, but as a designer, he should realize that 1) not all homes call for expensive draperies, (like an old farm house our vintage cottage which I have). As a designer, he should be able to appreciation a more simple, low key design, real life design... but I imagine only GOOD designers are able to do that! That said.. it's clear that Carlos can only think one way, and is not a designer I would choose to hire.
Definately on my blacklist!
These folks did a great job. It's warm, inviting. They should be proud!
Since this is a site that focuses on design, I'll describe my drape choice from a design perspective. Our ceilings are a whopping 8 ft tall, so it was important to keep the drapes very basic, hang them high, and still allow a good amount of light. The living/dining drapes are WILMA from ikea, bedroom were custom, and office are Ikea also.
Kay- the exterior of the house legitimately is a mess! We haven't yet tackled that renovation, but there are some photos here:
http://www.houseofearnest.com/our-home-front-porch-updates/#more-4767
Carlos...comments live on the internet forever. If you want to stay in business I suggest you be constructive. Help others, not tear them down.
What a pitty!
I thought it was Carlos's way of backpedaling!
Funny though ... His total silence and lack of ability to apologize ... Could a too large ego be in the way?
Great article!